Microsoft Layoffs

3:42 pm

Wed February 1, 2012

SEATTLE - About 200 employees of Redmond-based Microsoft will be getting pink slips today. That’s according to a source close to the company. The layoffs will affect the 6,000 or so people involved in marketing at the software giant.

Wed February 1, 2012

FERNDALE, Wash. -- The United Steelworkers Union has reached a tentative deal with oil companies to avert a possible strike at dozens of refineries, including three important ones in the Northwest. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

Wed February 1, 2012

PORTLAND -- A fast-paced five months of campaigning has come to an end in Northwest Oregon. Democrat Suzanne Bonamici was elected last night the next representative for the First Congressional District. Unofficial results last night showed Bonamici prevailing with a sixteen point lead over Republican Rob Cornilles. She'll replace another Democrat, David Wu. From Oregon Public Broadcasting, April Baer reports.

As a standing-room-only crowd of volunteers and donors clapped and filled a downtown conference room with their shouts, Suzanne Bonamici raised her arms to thank them.

PORTLAND – Oregon has a new representative in Congress. Democrat Suzanne Bonamici beat Republican Rob Cornilles Tuesday night for the right to fill the seat vacated by Democrat David Wu, who resigned last summer. Correspondent Chris Lehman reports.

Northwest Regional News

6:48 pm

Tue January 31, 2012

University of Oregon faculty members are collecting signatures in an effort to establish a union. It would be comprised of all full and part time professors and instructors -- about 2,000 members. KLCC's Rachael McDonald has more.

The group United Academics of the University of Oregon has been gathering support for the union effort this month. But it's a process that began in the fall according to Michael Dreiling, an Associate Professor of Sociology.

FERNDALE, Wash. - A burial mass was held on Monday for Captain Daniel Bartle.The 27-year-old from the small town north of Bellingham was killed along with five other U.S. Marines earlier this month . Their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan's Helmand province. John Ryan reports from Bellingham.

Six of Bartle’s classmates from the U.S. Naval Academy carried his casket down the aisle of the Catholic church he attended growing up.

Candles and stained glass windows shone down on his casket inside Bellingham’s Church of the Assumption.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – When the Washington Senate votes on same-sex marriage Wednesday, the issue will be personal for the chief sponsor. Democratic Senator Ed Murray says if the bill becomes law, he plans to marry his partner.

Oregonians who want to report a possible environmental problem to the state can now do so through a website and hotline.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has always fielded citizen complaints, but it was an antiquated system that was not centralized. Now, they have an online database for staff to better track cases. The public can use the new online form or hotline to report perceived environmental violations. Dave Belyea with the DEQ in Eugene says they will respond to the person with an update on how the situation is being handled.

Bargaining is going down to the wire on new labor contracts at three of the five big oil refineries in the Northwest. Union members have been told to prepare to strike as early as Wednesday. Correspondent Tom Banse has more details.